Will I get out of PPD

[Nickyni]

Hi I have a beautiful baby girl who was born in February. At first everything was going great except that baby would only sleep in our arms and was waking up very often at night to feed..My husband stayed a month at home to help me and that was great except that when he went back to work and I was left alone with her, I started panicking. I could not stand her crying and felt helpless and overwhelmed. Then, around the beginning of April, baby was sleeping more and I started to have insomnia. I started taking celexa on April 27th but at a very low dose (5mg) for two weeks and then progressively (10mg, 15mg) increased the dose to 20mg last Tuesday. I started feeling a bit better when I was on 15mg but now I am still very anxious and panic when I got to bed at night because I’m terrified I will not sleep. I was given Trazodone (which is an old antidepressant that is now used to induce sleep) which I take every night but the meds dont always work and I end up only sleeping 3-4 hours. Can anyone tell me if they’ve been on antidepressants and sleeping aids and what was the outcome…I am afraid I will get addicted to the sleepong pills even though my Doctor told me they are not addictive…Also, should I ask my Doctor to change my antidepressant or still wait since I’ve only been on the therapeutic dose (20mg) for less than a week. I am SOOOO afraid I will not get out of this and not see my baby girl grow up…I’m worried about what this is doing to my health…the CONSTANT anxiety, not eating (I am 5’6” and weigh 113 lbs), lack of sleep…My constant worrying also makes me spend less time caring for my baby girl. Help!

[Thandiwe]

Oh, mama!  HUGE !!  It does get better.  I have had PPD 3x now, after each birth.  It does get better, I promise, though it sounds like it might take some tweaking for you to get there.

First thoughts I had are, are you breastfeeding?  If so, make sure you are well-versed in the safety of the meds you're taking/interested in before going to the doctors.  Make sure you have a prescribing doctor who knows you are breastfeeding and is comfortable working within those boundaries.  I have taken Zoloft each time, varying doses with each birth.  The first time, it made me drowsy.  This last time (the 3rd), it gave me insomnia.  You can change when you take your meds so that the peak of the meds hits when it matters most.  I started taking my Zoloft (when it made me drowsy) at night so that I wouldn't get drowsy during the day.  Maybe take your med early in the morning?  Dr. Thomas Hale has great info regarding PPD and anti-d's. 

Are you seeing a therapist at all?  Depression is best treated when it's a combo of meds and talk therapy.  Other things that have helped me have included taking a really well-balanced omega oil blend (I like Twin Labs Complete EFA), using the sun as a therapy (spending time outdoors in the direct sunlight or using a light therapy lamp), scheduling time for me to go out alone, like grabbing coffee or meeting friends, and taking up a hobby.  I know it sounds simple, but they can really help you out.

I truly hope you find the answers you need to find.  I hope you have a good provider who can support you in your medical decisions.  And most of all, hugs.  I've been there.